Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-10

one to five a. m, be is constantly trav-
cling at the rate of four miles an hour.
When visited by the Commercial Ga
zette representative Snider was dressed in
coarse wooden coat, a pair of jean
trousers, flannel shirt and an aged and
much battered felt hat. His feet were
incased in heavy plough shoes. much the
worse for the vigorous service they have
experienced. Snyder wears an iron-gray
beard and short gray hair, His counte
nance is bronzed Dy constant exposure to
sun and rain, and deep lines of care on
his face prove that he fully appreciates
the magnitude of his misfortune. Living
in the same cabin with Snider are his
wife and five children, two sons and three
daughters, who support themselves by
laboring on farms in the vicinity.
At five o'clock every morning, after a
sleep of from three to four hours. Snider
begins his tramp and continues walking,
eating his meals as be walks. until one
o'clock the next morning, when he sits
down in a chair and sleeps soundly, be-
ing unable to rest in a reeumbent posi-
ton. At the outset bis friends endeavored
by force to induce him to remain quiet,
but the patient Immediately became fran,
tic, and. with tears in his eyes, begged to
be relieved or he would die.
Snider was placed in the State insane
asylum at Indianapolis for brief time in
1884. but was returned by the authorities
there, pronounced harmless and incura-
BILE. He is perfectly rational, and talks
but little about his peculiar affection, and
seems rather av erse to notoriety of any
sort. The walking man stated that he
could not possibly control himself. and
that were he to stop walking he would
feel as though flying iuto thousand pie
ces. When Snider began bis tramp be
weighed 100 pounds He now weighs
$50 pounds. and has not an ounce Of
superfuous flesh His muscles are hard
and firm. Snider has fully recovered
from the recent sinking spell, when he
was reported as dying He walks with
a quick step, OF uniform length, striking
his heel into the soil each time, the
shock being a grateful one to the muscles
of the foot.
At times Snlder sleeps as be walks,
and for HI hour guided by relatives. he
swings around the cabin, snoring loudly.
and upon awakening he runs at rapid
gait for several miles to rest himself. "
as he expresses it. SnideI Suffers no
pain, and is apparently contenied while
IN motion.
DR.. Davidson of Hartford City, who is
SDider's physician, told the reporter that
while his recovery is impossible, Snider
would probably live for many months.
"The affection is disease OF the spinal
cord" said the doctor, land from the
hips down his physical condition is not
subject to government by the brain. the
great nerve CENTRE
During the past fall fair managers in
this section were lively bidders for Snider
as curiosity At Warren he was on
exhibition in tent for three days. and
proved great card. receiving $500 for
his services He was offered $500 to ap
pear at the Marion fair, and it is said a
New York dime museum manager made
him flattering offer for the season, both
of which were declined.
In October Snider was placed behind a
plough in field, and made fair progress
until the plough struck a root and
stopped. SDider, instead of extricating
the implement, let 60 of the handles and
walked around the horses and set of
alone on his regular tramp. IL is est
mated that during the two Years past
Snider has travelled over 10000 miles
The case excItes much interest in the
medical fraternity, many members oi
which have visited Snider. diagnosing
the disease while walking with him, as
be is unable to stop for moment. The
case is sold by physivians to be un'
paralleled and Sniders powers of endur.
ance superhuman Cincinnati CONNER.
cial Gazette